Left over to your imagination

If all you´ve got in the fridge is leftovers, don´t worry, here are some cunning culinary ways to turn them into a sizzling supper, succulent snacks, souper soup, sizzling stir fry and an unusual appetiser or canape. So don´t allow that lovely home made cranberry sauce to sit in the fridge for another year. Some post-Christmas meals can even turn out tastier than the Christmas dinner itself.Here is how Iused up our left overs.


Brussel leaves with white bean and horseradish puree (above)
250g of cooked cannelini or white beans
2 teaspoons creamed horseradish
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Blanched brussel sprout leaves

Blanch the Brussel leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds.Whizz beans in the food processor with two heaped teaspoons of creamed horseradish, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the juice and zest of 1 lime.Spoon into the poached brussel sprout leaves and serve as a canapes

Bubble and squeak Migas, Alentejo style 
Bubble and squeak should be on everyone's radar come Christmas time - This simple dish is perfect for using up leftover mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts,turnip tops, cabbage,even parsnip, stale bread and white beans. Top with poached eggs for a scrumptious lunch.My version is a fusion of very traditional British with very traditional Portuguese.

1 tablespoon duck fat, goose fat or butter

4 rashers of streaky bacon chopped

left over chourico chopped

1 onion finely sliced

6 cooked Brussel sprouts or left over boiled cabbage, shredded

6 Raw Brussel sprouts with all the leaves separated and shredded coarsely

Handful of raw chinese leaves

400g left over mashed potatoes

Left over cooked parsnip mashed

Melt the fat in a non-stick pan, allow it to get nice and hot, then add the bacon. As it begins to brown, add the onion and garlic. Next, add the sliced sprouts or cabbage and let it colour slightly. All this will take 5-6 mins.Add the Chourico and finally the potato. Work everything together in the pan and push it down so that the migas covers the base of the pan - mould the migas into a tortilla like shape. Allow the mixture to catch slightly on the base of the pan before turning it over by inverting it on a plate slightly smaller than the pan than then and doing the same again. It's the bits of potato that catch in the pan that define the term 'bubble and squeak', so be brave and let the mixture colour. Cut into wedges and serve.

Quick Duck Stir-fry with everything
serves 2, but double or treble the quantities if you need to

With Christmas day falling on a Saturday this year, this made a perfect Monday supper.Just throw everything in the wok for a tasty meal that´s ready in twenty minutes.This makes a delicious supper using any left over roast meat, duck, turkey, beef, pork.Vary the vegetables according to what you have left in your fridge.
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
2 nuggets of stem ginger finely chopped
1 large spring onion sliced thinly
1/2 leek cut into thin rings
1 small parsnip grated
small florets of cauliflower
handful of Brussel sprout leaves
large handful of shredded chinese leaf
1 small red pepper cut into matchsticks
Your quantity of left over meat
Left over gravy and scrapings from your roast
soya sauce
stem ginger syrup
pinch of garam masala
Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Heat the peanut oil in the wok, when it is hot,toss in the first seven ingredients,mix well and when taking on some colour, throw in the brussel leaves, cabbage and red pepper.Add the left over meat and continue cooking til heated through. Continue frying for another few minutes, then toss in some soya sauce,left over gravy, ginger syrup and the garam masala. mix well and stir for another minute or so. Serve immediately in bowls.Sprinkle with coriander garnish

Brandade and white bean soup
serves 4
If you haven´t made brandade but have leftover salt cod, make the brandade 
following the recipe from my previous post

175g (6oz )dried haricot or small white beans 
1 quantity of left over brandade of salt cod
1 tablespoon of good quality olive oil
chopped flat leaf parsley
Cover the dried beans with plenty of cold water and leave them to soak overnight.The next day, drain the beans and put them in a saucepan with 900ml (1.5 pints) water. bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1-2 hours, until they are soft and just starting to break apart.Drain and reserve the cooking liquor.Put the brandade mixture together with the cooked beans into a processor and blend together until smooth. with the machine still running add the reserved cooking liquor and some milk gradually until a you have obtained a good consistency.Return the mixture to the pan and heat through. Ladle the soup into 4 warmed bowls. drizzle over the olive oil and garnish with a little chopped parsley.

Turkey, yoghurt and spring onion wrap
Left over chicken works equally well if not better. Per portion:
1 tortilla wrap
1/2 cup shredded chicken
2 spring onions finely sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
3 dessert spoons thick yoghurt
half a cup of chopped mint
half a cup of chopped coriander
Squeeze of lemon juice 
 Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
Spoon into wrap and roll up. Serve cut diagonally in two pieces